The show opens at Holly’s house. We start right where the last episode left off, with Rebecca telling Justin “in confidence” that brother-in-law Joe made an inappropriate pass at her during a guitar lesson.

Rebecca: I don’t even know how it happened. He was showing me a chord and then he just leaned in and kissed me.

Justin, again, looks like he’s been thwacked in the face with a two by four. It’s his patented, fretful look whenever he gets bad news – which happens a lot on this show. I think that’s going to be my new nickname for Justin—“Thwack.”

Thwack does his best to put a positive spin on things. He suggests that maybe Rebecca misinterpreted. After all, the Walkers are an affectionate family, always with the hugs and kisses.

Justin: Maybe this was just a platonic thing….

Yeah, like the time you walked in on Momma Nora giving the gardener a friendly lap dance. Oh Thwack, you are so lovably naïve.

Rebecca assures him the kiss was not platonic. I guess there was some tongue action involved. Again, she pleads with Justin not to tell the rest of the Walkers. She doesn’t want to stir up trouble. Yeah, right, Miss Harrington.

Rebecca: Justin please, if something happens to Sarah and Joe’s marriage they’re going to blame me, and you know it. Don’t give them any ammunition to hate me.

Cut to the community college campus. Nora has stopped by to see her creative writing professor (Peter Coyote).

Apparently there’s been some computer glitch because she received a failing grade on her report card. Professor Coyote assures her it is no mistake.

Nora: You can’t fail me! You told me my writing was smart and urbane.

More like smarmy and inane. I think he was just trying to get in your pants.

Professor Coyote directs Nora’s attention to the syllabus. It states that attendance was mandatory, and apparently Nora missed a class.

Not to worry though, Professor Coyote tells Nora she can get her grade revised if she’ll only agree to a “makeup” session – he knows a great little Ethiopian restaurant…

Oh criminy, is he that hard up for a date?

Nora: This is sexual harassment and I don’t plan to take it lying down.
Professor Coyote: Oh the jokes that are running through my mind…

Let me guess, something about a coke can and a pubic hair?

Side note, but this really does seem like sexual harassment. If I were Nora I’d head straight to the dean and get this creep’s tenure revoked. Instead, she agrees to the dinner date – but assures him she won’t get dressed for it, and she won’t have a good time. Well that’ll teach him to mess around with you Nora.

You know, I usually love Sally Field’s scenes on Brothers & Sisters, but I just hate this storyline with Peter Coyote. They need to find a new love interest for her, pronto. Maybe Margot Kidder? Now that would be an interesting development.